Kikujiro

I had breakfast there (Cafeteria) a couple of weeks ago. Excited to see huevos rancheros on the menu, disappointed to receive a kind of spicy version of a canteen ratatouille with eggs that were raw underneath but somehow cooked to develop a rubber-firm skin on top that was astonishingly difficult to penetrate. Oh, and I ordered a grapefruit juice, which on the menu was listed as fresh squeezed pink, and got something out of a carton, for which, it later turned out, I was charged the fresh pink price. Overpriced, too. Staff were friendly. Website here. Unlike Simon, I am happy with ground-floor Smiths for breakfast or a sandwich.

For the historically-minded, I came across a review of a couple of gay restaurants in London circa 1987, including the above-mentioned Roy's. There seem to have been at least three centred around Earl's Court. Here's a sample of what the late-80s gay diner might have enjoyed. At Roy's: Deep-fried Lymeswold cheese with cranberry sauce Fresh orange, lychee and melon melange flavoured with Cointreau Pasta shells, sweetcorn, bacon and prawns, baked in a cream sauce, topped with cheese Sauteed mussels and leeks with creamy orange sauce -- Beef & vegetable casserole Sirloin steak (supp.) Aylesbury duck in honey and lemon sauce Rack of English lamb Billingsgate Pie Vegetarian Pie -- Choctop Sticky Whopper Show Stopper Banana Bavarian Vanilla Bavarois Scarlet's a Strawberry Tart 2 courses £10, puds £2.85 Meanwhile, down the road at the more aspirational Van B's -- table lamps, louvred wooden panelling, French chefs; waiters probably not in drag: Avocado on a crepe with vegetables and cream sauce Sea terrine served with basil sauce Snails on puff pastry with hazlenut butter -- Palate cleanser: lemon sorbet, peppermint oil -- Poached salmon with Hollandaise Confit of duck with walnuts and Calvados Stuffed chicken breast in a cream and green pepper sauce. Puds unspecified. £13.75 for three courses. A Chablies 1er cru would have put you back £17.75; Beaujolais Villages, £9.75.

Soba: yes, and in some states in the US, for example, the 'unnatural' acts are illegal between het as well as gay couples, whereas in others it's the same-sex context that makes them transgressive. Also, the relative specificity or lack thereof in various legal codes (check out Texas on the link above for fascinatingly graphic specifics about what they don't want to see happening) is another interesting gap to explore.

Having said all that, in some states in the US, certain acts are only illegal between members of the same sex. All in all, 14 States, Puerto Rico and the military have sodomy laws (see link).

Repression of homosexuality almost always concerns specific actions rather than some kind of 'being' gay, which is after all fairly difficult to establish in the absence of action (unlike, say, being black). Even conservative Christianity says: hate the sin, love the sinner. Of course, for those who missed out on Foucault, the idea that there such a thing as 'sexuality' (that a sentence differentiating acts from 'just BEING' is even intelligible) is only a bit over a hundred years old. In terms of restaurants, I'm assuming the 'acts' would involve holding hands across the table, or having certain kinds of conversation.

I have fond memories of Big Cup from when I stayed in a dive hotel round the corner (next to a police station, I think I remember). I remember it had good muffins (note that this may or may not be, or ever have been, the case in actuality). The odd thing about the hotel was that the view from the window changed overnight.

Rubbish. I had it in two of the best restaurants in Venice last week. I am only able to type this reply because I'm checking the board less often these days so I know won't get dragged into another 'debate' on 'real' 'Italian' 'food'.

Tony, as Miss J will confirm, after the early scenes in Pakistan I was all for New Tayyab, but it was too far away Anyway, are you dissing the frill-free philosophies of Allegra McEvedy?

I liked the salt cod fritters a lot. I could have done with more than 3. Chilli jam was indeed lacking in chilli. Oh, and y'all should see the film. Russian Ark for me tonight.

Miss J's right about the olives. I kept eating them in the hope that one of them might eventually taste of olive. Oh, and she's right about everything else too (except I don't think the tortilla chips were freshly fried). What was utterly bizarre was that this was a daily menu, dated 9 April, which clearly told us the 'bistro' food was available from 6 to 10 (we were trying to eat from about 8.30). No explanation was forthcoming as to why this menu, specially printed for the day, was simply unavailable. But I think I may have worked it out. I just dug out some blurb I got sent by them a month or so back: That anything at all came out of the kitchen was fairly amazing, seeing as it looked pitch black in there.

And is widespread, particularly for some reason among Chinese restaurants in London.

Saturday: friends to dinner. TV chef retro food: Bellinis, very young green olives, grissini; crab linguine / Locatelli, poached beef (Ginger Pig, rather good), celeriac mash / Jamie, grilled radicchio, chocolate coulants / Bras (collapsed somewhat, although tasted great -- think I made the centres too big).

De Cecco, Voiello, and Barilla's "Selezione Oro Chef" range. Of the artisinal stuff, Latini. Edit: whoops, someone already mentioned Latini. That'll teach me to scan read.

The purée makes great, fragrant bellinis. Hurrah.

It can keep to May. We'll fix something.

Now, just to confuse things, supposing it was celeriac mash. Could I make that in advance and just heat it in a pan when needed without it all going nasty?

Adam, come down to London and drink bellinis with me and V and Miss J etc.

Well, I returned from my expedition to New Covent Garden this morning loaded with Boiron frozen peach purée. Despite my arriving shortly before ten, which I think is five to midnight NCG time, I was lucky that one of the Boiron suppliers, French Garden, was still trading. I bought a box of six kilo packs of white peach purée at £2.70 a pack (would have been a little bit more for individual packs) and two kilo packs of blood peach purée at £2.90 each. Total therefore £22 for eight kilos, or £25 including the three quid charge for entry by car. Seems pretty reasonable to me. At 1:3 puree: Prosecco, I make that enough for 32 bottles Luckily it lasts (and I'd undertaken to give some to other people). I hope that despite my not having a Macro-esque refrigerated boot, the stuff survived its tour of London (Vauxhall-Battersea-Clerkenwell). Will report back on the bellinis, but happy with progress so far. (On the latter topic I spent some time trying to find bellini glasses, but failed.) edit: I really wish I had a deep freeze

They didn't quote me a price. But I may brave NCG tomorrow. Any tips?

I just got a phone call from an incredibly charming and helpful representative of Boiron, so I may try to find that brand instead (or even as well, and compare). Will keep you all updated.

g, if you cure cancer, I'll give you a job.

Yes, it might well be. But he's got me all antsy now about starch.

I'd need to get a new one. My only mandoline is the ultrathin Japanese type Plus a digital probe thermometer of course.

This is all very exciting. I could go to town and pick up some frozen chicken stock from Regale too, instead of making it (which I was going to do in the time I'll now be spending travelling to Harlesden). Bad idea?

Thanks. Now that V's corrected my spelling, I've found La Fruitiere too, but their site seems not to discuss their products. Still, I think we're getting somewhere ... Edit: 'cos I got the wrong lot. Here's the right link.